Individually selective intelligent lighting system

ABSTRACT

The present invention is an individually selective intelligent serial lighting system, wherein lighting elements are arranged in a specific configuration so that unknown location and identity of each randomly distributed registered integrated circuit switch device, which drives lighting elements, is automatically detected, recorded and addressed. A controller, individually controls every single LED, or other lighting element distributed along the length of lighting string with fixed set of wires. Each lighting element is mounted on or connected to and driven from a Switch PCB, consisting an integrated circuit switch, each programmed or lasered with a unique serial number, with at least two ports and a communication protocol. Software routines are intelligent in a sense that find position of each individual lighting element when any existing or new lighting element or cable assembly is attached to or detached from the system whether in operation and alive or upon power up.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/209,345, filed Mar. 6, 2009,entitled “Individually Selective Intelligent Serial Lighting System”

The foregoing application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Light strings and motion lights are widely used in variety of occasionsand places, using LEDs, light bulbs or other light generating devices.There are variety of lighting patterns used over the buildings,Christmas trees and other places to create attractions. These lightingsystems are often simple blinking or chasing patterns, without fullcontrol capability over every individual lighting element of the entiresystem, from only one place, and with only one control unit, and on afixed set of wires throughout the system.

Compared to higher end systems using several of very expensive andcomplex electronic controllers across the system for distribution ofpower and control signals, the present invention has very simple andinexpensive implementation, involving only 4 conductors in one simpleembodiment and only one controller from one place to communicate withthe entire system, in order to selectively control individual lightelements without the need of several mid-control devices and relaysacross the system and without the need of running many wires andconnections.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of lighting systemsand networks of lighting strips and particularly to methods andapparatus for control of light sources that are used for the purpose ofwarnings, signaling, guidance, decoration, entertainment, spaceillumination, attraction, indication, attention of viewers and lightingof sites, buildings, fields and trees.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ARTS

One of the techniques currently used to light up LED and light bulb setsand to create a feeling of light motion, is by grouping, sharing andconnecting a set of lights in one electrical connection so that eachgroup turns on together, then this light group is interlaced with thenext adjacent similar light group of another electrical line. By turningeach group On and Off at a time, the lights seems to be moving. In theabove scheme, to achieve larger variation of patterns, if number ofinterlaced groups is increased, while maintaining the same number oflighting elements, which would result in reduction of light quantity ineach group, then quantity of groups and conductors controlling eachgroup would grow, and therefore a big chunk of cable or wires must beutilized to control more groups of light elements to create morepatterns. For this reason at some point, using aforementioned system tocontrol every single LED, individually and selectively, becomesimpractical and virtually almost impossible when quantity of LEDs andlights grow. The technique mentioned above, limits quantity of LEDs andlight bulb groups in a motion light set to 3 or 4 groups, because eachgroup needs a separate wire for controlling that group.

Another technique is using diode in each branch of LED and light bulbsets with an alternating current source, which still has the samelimitation of added conductors and connections as described above.

Except as required and dictated by high voltage applications, in apreferred embodiment of the current invention, low voltage DirectCurrent (DC) is used in the entire system for providing power tolighting elements. This makes the lighting system very safe against firehazards, safety of children or other hazards compared to those whichdirectly use high voltage from wall outlet AC line. For example in U.S.Pat. No. 7,609,006, high voltage is present all over the lightingstring, which makes it very unsafe in most applications.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An individually selective intelligent serial lighting system, which isarranged in set(s) of serial string configuration(s), is capable ofselectively control each lighting element, individually or in groups,regardless of the lighting element position in the chain, using fixedset of only 4 wires in one embodiment, creating possibility of designinga vast variety of colorful patterns with fully controllable timings oneach lighting element's On or Off duration.

The present invention, in a preferred embodiment, is comprised of aPower Supply, a Controller Unit that contains Microcontroller PrintedCircuit Board, and one or more Cable Assemblies or network of CableAssemblies. Cable Assembly is connected to and controlled by ControllerUnit. Microcontroller Board holds a Power supply receptacle, a ResetButton, at least one Pattern Select Button, a Power regulator, aMicrocontroller, a Power indicator LED and an optional Reverse Supplyprotector diode, as well as other circuit components.

Each Cable Assembly comprises at least one switch printed circuit boardAssembly. In one embodiment, an optional Extension Connector is used toextend the length of Cable Assembly. Length of lighting cable or networkof lights can optionally be extended or reduced by attaching ordetaching Cable Assemblies through Extension Connectors. In oneembodiment, a heat shrink tubing covers cable connections to Switch PCB.Switch PCB assemblies are distributed along the length of each CableAssembly. Each Switch PCB connects to the adjacent Switch PCB by a4-conductor cable. In one embodiment, a dual channel addressable switchand one or more LEDs or light bulbs are either directly mounted on eachof the small PCBs or connected to and driven from the Switch PCB. Anexample dual channel addressable switch is the 1-Wire® devicemanufactured by Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. 1-Wire and Maxim areregistered trademarks of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. a UnitedStates, Delaware corporation. Length of the lighting system canpotentially be from a few centimeters to kilometers.

This lighting system is comprising a plurality of LEDs of any size,shape or type, light bulbs of any size, shape or type, or any electricallight generating device which can be driven by an electronic orelectrical driver, relay or contactor. In one embodiment of the currentinvention, each light element is controlled by a programmable integratedcircuit device capable of being programmed or configured with acommunication protocol, with at least two input/output ports and with aprogrammable unique at least 16 bits wide identifiable identity serialnumber. In one embodiment of the current invention, dual channeladdressable switch device is used for this purpose, which is capable ofa communication protocol, has two ports, and each device has a unique 64bits lasered serial number. Use of such a dual channel addressableswitch makes it possible to have full control of individual lights ononly one pair of twisted wire. It should be realized that mere use of1-Wire® or any other communication protocol without specificconfiguration, topology and arrangement of the system, which is thesubject matter of the current invention, would not result in achievingindividual selective light element control. 1-Wire® devices use astandard communication protocol, which is well known to skilled peopleinvolved in this art.

In one embodiment of this invention, upon power up and after initialdevice search and registration, each dual channel addressable switch isaddressed and selected by microcontroller and turned on for duration oftime specified by pattern generator of software routines. As an optionalfeature, each press of Select pushbutton will sequentially select andswitch to a different pattern.

During manufacturing process of a serial lighting string, and whenattaching or detaching extension cable assemblies containing dualchannel addressable devices or when dual channel addressable devicescome from manufacturer, serial numbers of discrete dual channeladdressable switch devices are often all mixed up, and search hex code0xF0 provided in the protocol is not able to determine where and in whatphysical position of a row, each dual channel addressable device islocated at, resulting in not being able to address a device in aspecific physical position in a row of a lighting system.

Even though search algorithms and routines provided with the example1-wire® products are able to read and find all registered elements anddevices in a network, however, these algorithms do not know and do notrecognize sequential and specific physical location and position of eachregistered element in a serial network. In simple words, availablesearch routines don't tell you what is the serial number of for example,the tenth device in a serial row, or for example which serial number,addresses and turns on the fifth switch device in a serial connection.When a search finds a serial number of a device, if you use thatspecific serial number to address and turn on that device, you don'tknow if you are addressing the first, the last or one other middledevice in a group of devices lined up in series on a network, andtherefore not being able to generate and create any specific pattern,since you won't know which position will turn on.

In an example 1-Wire® system, only one wire is used for both poweringdevices and for communication with devices. Also a ground wire is usedfor signal return making a two-wire system.

This invention has a combination of specific hardware configurationalong with software routines and algorithms which makes it possible toselectively find and address each individual lighting element in thesystem. In one embodiment of the current invention, the lightingelements driven by switch PCBs, are serially lined up along the lengthof a single cable with only 4-conductors, which are used for poweringand communication with the entire system. Two of the aforementionedwires are dedicated to dual channel addressable switch network asrequired by the exemplary 1-Wire® system. One of the four aforementionedwires is provisioned to make it possible to find the position of eachdevice in the system. One other of the 4-conductor lines is intended toprovide power to the lights or other devices used in the system.

In one embodiment of the current invention, when one or more cableassemblies are added to the system, software routines automaticallydetect, recognize and register all new added switch devices mounted onswitch PCBs, even when the system is in operation and alive. Uponconnection of new switch devices, system will reset and will continuefrom where it was left off. Control unit is able to sense and detectwhen the very first light string is connected to or detached from thecontrol unit.

In one embodiment of the current invention, one or more LEDs are mountedon both sides of switch printed circuit board.

In another embodiment of the current invention, one LED is mounted in acutting hole on the switch PCB so that the LED and light is exposed andseen from both sides of switch PCB.

In one embodiment of the current invention, each individual switch PCB,drives and controls another electronic or electrical driver such asMOSFET, transistor, Darlington, relay, contactor or any other voltage orcurrent sourcing device, or any combination thereof, mounted on orconnected to switch PCB, which in turn drives LEDs, laser diodes, lightbulbs or any other electrical light generating sources.

In one aspect of the current invention, cable assemblies are connectedin mesh, star, triangle, parallel, curtain or any other possibletopologies.

In another aspect of the current invention, when the length of systembecomes long, to compensate for signal strength and signal to noiseratio reduction, one or more signal booster or amplifiers are used inappropriate locations.

In another aspect of the current invention, a smaller AWG gauge wire,meaning larger and thicker DC or AC supply wire is used with longercable lengths and heavier load currents. DC-DC converters are used tocompensate for voltage drop in light string when required.

In another aspect of the current invention, cable assembly can be of anylength and is only limited by total load current and cable thickness, aswell as limitations imposed by the nature of communication used.

In another aspect of the current invention, a DC power supply sourcesuch as battery is either used as the sole power source for the entiresystem or is used in combination with other power sources.

In another aspect of the current invention, a solar cell power source iseither used for charging batteries and powering the entire system, or isused in combination with other power sources.

In another aspect of the current invention, an AC power source wire isadded or used in combination with the DC line, instead of VCC DC powerline, to feed light bulbs or other light generating devices that use ACpower or both DC and AC power source.

In another aspect of the current invention, a USB, SPI, UART, I2C, TWIor other communication channel and means is used to program or controlController Unit and to create patterns through an API (ApplicationProgramming Interface), or other interfaces running on a PC or otherprogramming device.

In another aspect of the current invention, a keypad with optional LCDdisplay is used to control and program patterns into the controllerunit.

In another aspect of the current invention, a wireless device programsor controls controller unit through an on-board wireless transceiver.

In another aspect of the current invention, the entire cable assembly orswitch PCB Assembly and cable connections are sealed with or coveredwith transparent plastic or other sealing material to be able to use thelighting system under water or in wet areas, when the lighting system ispowered with safe low voltage DC supply.

In another aspect of the current invention, all switch PCB assembliesalong with cable or wire connections to switch PCB assemblies are sealedor covered with transparent plastic, heat shrink or other sealingmaterials to be able to use the lighting system under water or in wetand moist environment, when the lighting system is powered with safe lowvoltage DC supply.

In another aspect of the current invention, lighting strings along withall printed circuit boards and wires are extruded with clear material.

In another aspect of the current invention, a light sensor prevents thelighting system to turn on during the day light.

In another aspect of the current invention, a motion detector sensitiveto human body or other objects, provides a means to save energy wherelighting system will only turn on when somebody or some object is movingnearby.

In another aspect of the current invention, multi color LED is used tocreate color effects and eye-catching colorful patterns.

In another aspect of the current invention, various mountingconfigurations retain lighting string using retainer elements which canbe mounted on various interior and exterior structures.

In another aspect of the current invention, lighting strings are formedand shaped to create either individual alphanumeric characters or as achain of serial or meshed network of connected alphanumeric characters.Lighting strings may also be formed in any other shape to adapt anyspecific application.

In another aspect of the current invention, microcontroller used incontrol unit is substituted with an field programmable gate array (FPGA)or other programmable device, capable of providing all features andfunctionalities similar to a microcontroller, which would be necessaryto generate all required signals to drive all cable assemblies andswitch PCBs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a preferred embodiment top view of an individually selectiveintelligent serial lighting system of the present invention wherein adual channel addressable switch devices are used in switch PCBassemblies. For the purpose of clarity, in this view, the top coveringlead of microcontroller board enclosure box is removed and not shown.

FIG. 2 is a preferred embodiment of an individually selectiveintelligent serial lighting system Block Diagram of the presentinvention wherein the exemplary 1-Wire® dual channel addressable switchdevices are used in switch PCB assemblies.

FIG. 3 is a closer detail view of switch printed circuit board (PCB)assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of another embodiment top view of anindividually selective intelligent serial lighting system of the presentinvention wherein FPGA devices are used in switch PCB assemblies. Forthe purpose of clarity, in this view, the top covering lead ofmicrocontroller board enclosure box is removed and not shown.

FIG. 5 is another embodiment of an individually selective intelligentserial lighting system block diagram of the present invention whereinFPGA devices are used in Switch PCB assemblies.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in a preferred embodiment, controllerunit 101 is connected to a cable assembly by connecting 4-pin plugcircular DIN connector 110 to 4-pin receptacle circular DIN connector128. Cable assembly consisting at least one switch printed circuit board(PCB) assembly 112, is distributed along the length of 4-conductor cable111. Adjacent switch PCBs are interconnected through cable 111, whichhas 4 individual conductors 116 including VCC wire 121, ground wire 123,Control wire 127 and communication wire 122, soldered to switch printedcircuit board assembly. Heatshrink 115 is covering and protecting switchprinted circuit board assembly 112 and wires 116. switch printed circuitboard assembly 112 comprising two LEDs 113, one mounted on componentside, and the other one mounted on solder side of PCB, a 1-Wireaddressable dual switch device 114, and a current limiting resistor (notshown). Optional 4-pin male circular DIN rear end connector 117 is usedto attach another cable assembly in order to extend the length of lightstring. Controller printed circuit board assembly 102, which is mountedinside controller unit 101 through four mounting holes 108, comprisingmicrocontroller 106, power regulator circuit 118, power supply connector105, reset pushbutton 109, pattern select pushbutton 129, and powerindicator LED 107. Wall adapter 103 provides required DC supply voltagethrough power plug 104.

FIG. 2 is a sketch of individually selective intelligent serial lightingsystem block diagram. As can be seen, port B 125 of the very first dualchannel addressable switch 114 of the chain is connected to port A 124of the very next adjacent dual channel addressable switch 114 on switchprinted circuit board assembly 112. Similarly, port B 125 of the seconddual channel addressable switch is connected to port A 124 of the verynext adjacent dual channel addressable switch. This same pattern ofconnection continues through the last dual channel addressable switch inthe chain. On every switch printed circuit board assembly 112, a pair ofLED 113 is electrically connected in parallel and pulled up to VCC 121.LED 113 is driven by port A 124 of dual channel addressable switchthrough a current limiting series resistor.

FIG. 3 depicts a closer look at switch printed circuit board assembly112.

Based on hardware configuration described above, upon power up, softwareroutines search and register all existing serial numbers of all dualchannel addressable switch present in the entire system. Softwarealgorithms, through control line 127 and line 122, then probe, read,sort and record position of each individual dual channel addressableswitch 114.

When software routines find all existing dual channel addressableswitches and recognize their position, it generates variety of patternsbased on the position of lighting elements in light string by addressingeach individual recognized and recorded serial number. All existingpatterns provided by software are played in sequence and rolled over atthe end. When system is in operation and alive, software routinescontinuously check all existing devices against recorded ones to detectand recognize any change in quantity, position and serial number of dualchannel addressable switches in the entire chain.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in another embodiment, Controller Unit101 is connected to a cable assembly consisting at least one switchprinted circuit board (PCB) assembly 212, distributed along the lengthof 5-conductor cable 211. Adjacent switch PCBs are interconnectedthrough cable 211, which has 5 individual conductors 216 including VCCwire 221, ground wire 223, control wire 227, I2C-SCL i2c clock wire 222,and I2C-SDA i2c data wire 230, soldered to switch printed circuit boardassembly 212. Heatshrink 215 is covering and protecting switch printedcircuit board assembly 212 and wires 216. switch printed circuit boardassembly 212 comprising: two LEDs 213, one mounted on component side,and the other one mounted on solder side of PCB; FPGA device 214; acurrent limiting resistor (not shown). Optional 5 pin male circular DINrear end connector 217 is used to attach another cable assembly in orderto extend the length of light string. Controller printed circuit boardassembly 102, which is mounted inside controller unit 101 through fourmounting holes 108, comprising: microcontroller 106; power regulatorcircuit 118; power supply connector 105; reset pushbutton 109; patternselect pushbutton 129; and power indicator LED 107. Wall adapter 103provides required DC supply voltage through power plug 104.

FIG. 5 is a sketch of another embodiment of an individually selectiveintelligent serial lighting system block diagram. As can be seen, port B225 of the very first FPGA device 214 of the chain is connected to portC 226 of the very next adjacent FPGA device 214 on switch printedcircuit board assembly 212. Similarly, port B 225 of the second FPGAdevice 214 is connected to port C 226 of the very next adjacent FPGAdevice. This same pattern of connection continues through the last FPGAdevice in the chain. On every switch printed circuit board assembly 212,a pair of LED 213 is electrically connected in parallel and pulled up toVCC 221. LED 213 is driven by port A 224 of FPGA device through acurrent limiting series resistor.

Based on hardware configuration described above, upon power up, softwareroutines search and register all existing serial numbers of all FPGAdevices present in the entire system. Software algorithms, throughcontrol line 227, I2C-SCL i2c clock line 222, and I2C-SDA i2c data line230, then probe, read, sort and record position of each individual FPGAdevice 214.

When software routines find all existing FPGA devices and recognizetheir position, it generates variety of patterns based on the positionof lighting element in light string by addressing each individualrecognized and recorded serial number. All existing patterns provided bysoftware are played in sequence and rolled over at the end. When systemis in operation and alive, software routines continuously check allexisting devices against recorded ones to detect and recognize anychange in quantity, position and serial number of FPGA devices in theentire chain.

Select pattern pushbutton 129, sequentially selects each patternprovided by software and continuously plays selected pattern untilselect pattern pushbutton 129 is pressed again to play the next pattern.

A reset pushbutton 109 is provided to reset the system and initiate thesearch routines as described above.

Description of the invention provided here is by the way of exampleembodiments and is not intended as limiting.

1. An individually selective intelligent serial lighting systemcomprising: a. a control unit to generate and process communicationdata, b. a plurality of at least one set of extendable serial lightstring, and a power source c. said control unit comprising a mainprinted circuit board assembly, said main printed circuit board assemblycomprising: a microcontroller device, memory containing control unit'ssoftware routines, integrated circuit switch device driver, a powerregulator, reset pushbutton, at least one pattern select pushbutton,power switch, power indicator LED, a connector to connect the seriallight string chain to the control unit and a power supply connector, d.said serial light string each consisting of a plurality of at least oneswitch printed circuit board assembly, said switch printed circuit boardassembly distributed along a length of each serial light string, e. eachsaid switch printed circuit board assembly comprising: a dual channeladdressable switch, said addressable switch having at least onebi-directional port A and one output port B as control pin, and a unique64-bit lasered ROM serial number and an illumination device saidillumination device being at least one selected from a light emittingdiode, a laser diode, a multi color light emitting diode, and a lightbulb.
 2. The individually selective intelligent serial lighting systemof claim 1, wherein each said switch printed circuit board assembly inthe chain, is serially connected to a very next adjacent switch printedcircuit board assembly at each end, by a fixed set of interconnect wirescomprising: one power supply wire, one control signal wire, onecommunication wire and one system return ground wire.
 3. Theindividually selective intelligent serial lighting system of claim 2,wherein each said unique 64-bit lasered ROM serial number is used insoftware to address and select each individual said switch printedcircuit board assembly, by sharing a communication protocol on a commonbus with all other dual channel addressable switch devices.
 4. Theindividually selective intelligent serial lighting system of claim 3,wherein said port B control pin of each dual channel addressable switchin the chain is connected to port A of the very next adjacent dualchannel addressable switch.
 5. The individually selective intelligentserial lighting system of claim 4, wherein said port A of each dualchannel addressable switch, either directly drives at least one lightemitting diode (LED) or laser diode, mounted on the switch printedcircuit board assembly and pulled up to power supply through a currentlimiting resistor, or drives and controls at least one illuminationdevice or light bulb assembly through a device driver circuit.
 6. Theindividually selective intelligent serial lighting system of claim 5,wherein control unit's software routines, through the communicationline, generate variety of patterns by addressing each individual dualchannel addressable switch device in the chain.
 7. The individuallyselective intelligent serial lighting system of claim 6, whereinpatterns generated by said control unit's software are individuallyselected by said at least one select pushbutton of said control unit. 8.The individually selective intelligent serial lighting system of claim1, wherein each one of said switch printed circuit board assemblycomprise a programmable integrated circuit device, said device capableof being programmed with a standard inter-integrated circuit (I²C)communication protocol module, said module having at least one singlebit output port A, at least one single bit output port B, at least onesingle bit input port C, and a unique at least 16 bits wide identifiableidentity serial number, said serial number used in the control unit'ssoftware to address and select each individual said switch printedcircuit board assembly.
 9. The individually selective intelligent seriallighting system of claim 8, wherein each said switch printed circuitboard assembly in the chain, is serially connected to the very nextadjacent switch printed circuit board assembly at each end, by fixed setof interconnect wires comprising: one power supply wire, one controlsignal wire, one clock wire, one data wire, and one system return groundwire.
 10. The individually selective intelligent serial lighting systemof claim 9, wherein said output port B control pin of each saidprogrammable integrated circuit device in said light string is connectedto said input port C of the very next adjacent said programmableintegrated circuit device while said port A of each said programmableintegrated circuit device drives the at least one illumination device,mounted on the switch printed circuit board assembly by pulling saidillumination device up to power supply through a current limitingresistor, or drives and controls the at least one illumination devicethrough a device driver circuit.
 11. The individually selectiveintelligent serial lighting system of claim 10, wherein the controlunit's software routines generate a variety of light patterns byaddressing each individual programmable integrated circuit device in thechain.
 12. The individually selective intelligent serial lighting systemof claim 11, wherein the said light patterns generated by said controlunit's software are individually selected by said at least one selectpushbutton of said control unit.